Submission on the Hazardous Substances & New Organisms (Hazardous Substances Assessments) Amendment Bill
The Hazardous Substances and New Organisms (Hazardous Substances Assessments) Amendment Bill seeks to introduce processes to assist the EPA with hazardous substances approval processes, with the main amendment being to provide the Environmental Protection Authority with powers to rely on the decisions of overseas bodies.
Hazardous substances are of high importance to farmers and growers in agricultural production including the use of pesticides, plant growth regulators, vertebrate toxic agents and veterinary medicines. Without these substances, not only would our farm productivity suffer, there would also be significant adverse impacts on animal welfare and biodiversity. While we are supportive of the intention to expedite processes for the approval and assessment of these substances, we expressed concerns that the EPA did not have to be satisfied of any criteria and that no consideration had to be given to the New Zealand context. Further, that these amendments represented a narrowing of who the Environmental Protection Authority may have to notify and consult with in considering the assessment of hazardous substances.
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